L’Apparita, the first purebred Merlot produced in Tuscany, has been an iconic wine since its initial harvest in 1985.
Two parcels at the top of the Bellavista vineyard comprise the L’Apparita cru.
Vines were firstly planted in 1975 with Canaiolo and Malvasia Bianca, they have been replanted in 1982 with Merlot, using the clone nr 342.
The open-lyre training system and the predominately clay soil make this cru a crown jewel in world winemaking. Since the first vintage, this wine has maintained its unique expression in which the distinguishing features of Merlot are elevated by the terroir of Ama.

VINIFICATION
The vinification started using ambient yeasts, in steel tanks at a controlled temperature of 30/33°, with manual pumpovers and a total cuvaison of 28 days. After the first racking, the wine was transferred into steel tanks for the malolactic fermentation.
REFINEMENT
After the malolactic fermentation, the wine has been transferred in oak barriques of fine grain, 50% of which were new and the rest were second-passage barriques, for approximately 14 months.
TECHNIICAL DATA OF THE WINE
First release: 1985
Grape variety: Merlot 100%
Colour: purple red with violet nuances. Impenetrable.
Nose: Refined and elegant on the nose. Aromas of red and black fruits, lavender, mint, sage, spice, new leather and cloves. The finish has a balsamic note. Layered, perfumed and wonderfully nuanced.
Taste: extremely elegant with rich concentration of the fruit, juicy and bright acidity